# Derwentside District Council elections

Derwentside District Council elections were generally held every four years between the council's creation in 1974 and its abolition in 2009. Derwentside was a non-metropolitan district in County Durham, England. On 1 April 2009 the council's functions passed to Durham County Council, which became a unitary authority.

## Political control

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council from 1973 until its abolition in 2009 was held by the following parties:
| Party in control | Party in control | Years |
| | Labour | 1973–2009 |

### Leadership

The last leader of the council was:
| Councillor | Party | Party | From | To |
| Alex Watson | | Labour | 1991 | 31 Mar 2009 |

## Council elections

| Election | Labour | Liberal Democrat | Conservative | Derwentside Independents | Independent | Total | Notes |
| 1973 | 45 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 55 | |
| 1976 | 39 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 55 | |
| 1979 | 30 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 55 | New ward boundaries |
| 1983 | 36 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 55 | |
| 1987 | 43 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 55 | |
| 1991 | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 55 | |
| 1995 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 55 | District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same |
| 1999 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 55 | |
| 2003 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 55 | New ward boundaries |
| 2007 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 55 | |
* ↑ Liberal Party prior to 1983, SDP-Liberal Alliance in 1983 and 1987.
* ↑ Includes 1 Residents Association
* ↑ 2 Liberal, 1 SDP
Source:

## Results maps

* 2003 results map
* 2007 results map

## By-election results

The following is an incomplete list of by-elections to Derwentside District Council.

### 1995-1999

Annfield Plain By-Election 20 February 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | | 525 | 79.3 |
| | Independent Labour | | 137 | 20.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 388 | 58.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 662 | 20.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Stanley Hall By-Election 25 September 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 414 | 83.6 | +8.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 81 | 16.4 | +16.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 333 | 67.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 495 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Arnfield Plain By-Election 7 May 1998 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 549 | 74.7 | +5.0 |
| | Independent Labour | | 131 | 17.8 | +17.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 55 | 7.5 | +7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 418 | 66.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 735 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 1999-2003

Tanfield By-Election 22 June 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | | 468 | 53.7 | +7.4 |
| | Labour | | 404 | 46.3 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 7.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 872 | 26.5 | |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Consett South By-Election 15 March 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 419 | 58.4 | +0.8 |
| | Independent | | 157 | 21.9 | −20.5 |
| | Independent | | 110 | 15.3 | +15.3 |
| | Conservative | | 32 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 262 | 36.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 718 | 22.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Arnfield Plain By-Election 23 August 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 416 | 70.3 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 111 | 18.8 | +18.8 |
| | Green | | 65 | 11.0 | +11.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 305 | 51.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 592 | 19.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Craghead By-Election 15 November 2001 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 240 | 54.4 | −13.8 |
| | Independent | | 201 | 45.6 | +13.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 8.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 441 | 21.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Consett South By-Election 17 January 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 319 | 63.0 | +5.4 |
| | Independent | | 93 | 18.4 | −24.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 72 | 14.2 | +14.2 |
| | Conservative | | 22 | 4.3 | +4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 226 | 44.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 506 | 15.6 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Benfieldside By-Election 2 May 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Clark | 469 | 32.5 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith English | 467 | 32.3 | +11.4 |
| | Independent | Donald Love | 404 | 28.0 | +0.0 |
| | Conservative | Peter Carr | 104 | 7.2 | −5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | 0.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,444 | 31.9 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 2003-2007

Stanley Hall By-Election 29 September 2005 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Carl Marshall | 599 | 65.4 | +0.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Rolfe | 199 | 21.7 | +1.1 |
| | BNP | Dean McAdam | 118 | 12.9 | +12.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 400 | 43.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 916 | 24.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cornsay By-Election 16 February 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barbara Armstrong | 239 | 75.4 | +44.7 |
| | Conservative | Peter Carr | 78 | 24.6 | +24.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 161 | 50.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 317 | 25.7 | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### 2007-2009

Castleside By-Election 17 July 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Marion Wotherspoon | 297 | 82.3 | +8.3 |
| | Conservative | Michael Carr | 64 | 17.7 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 233 | 64.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 361 | 27.5 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |